Until Death Shall We Part
by Kaitlen Dearing
Summary: As Aurors, Hermione and Draco are needed to work together as husband and wife to find out whomever is starting up the group that had long been thought dead, the Death Eaters, and catch them. Will they get through this alive? Who is leading these new reformed Death Eaters? And will Hermione and Draco fall for each other?
1. Preface

Preface:

The War was over. The headlines of The Daily prophet rung out Voldemort Defeated: everybody was celebrating, everybody except for one Miss Hermione Granger. Oh, she was happy alright, that Voldemort was dead and gone, never to return, happy that her friends were safe, happy that everything was as it should have been all the years she had been in school at Hogwarts. She just felt…off somehow. True, she had reason to feel off, for her she had no family, and barely any money to her name, but still.

Almost immediately after her best friend, Harry, had killed Voldemort, Hermione had gone to bring back her parents memories and take them home. She arrived at their home, had been practically running up the porch stairs of their new home, when she saw them.

They were happier than Hermione had seen them in a long time, and worse, her mother…carrying a child…more than one for all Hermione knew. A puppy played on the floor, and her parents danced in the middle of their living room. They had gone on with life without her, the spell having done its job, and were better off than if she had been with them. Hermione watched them for what seemed hours, dancing, loving, kissing, hugging, all without her, the daughter that they had raised and that had belonged with them for seventeen years. It seemed that the time for that had passed on though. With tears streaming down her face, Hermione ran down into the street, leaving her unknowing family behind her and disapparated on the spot.


	2. Chapter One: After Effects

Chapter One: After Effects

Hermione Jean Granger sat in the Great Hall, watching all of the glowing people around her. No one noticed the curly haired, chocolate eyed seventeen year old sitting all alone. Even her best friends, it seemed, had forsaken her. Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley sat with Ron's family and the friends that they knew so well. They were in mourning, but after all, who could mourn for long when everything they had feared for fifty years had been killed forever? So Hermione, the one who always did everything for everybody, decided to mourn for their dead.

She sat staring at her gold plate, letting drops fall from her eyes onto the silverware, as she thought of them: Charity Burbage, Hedwig, Alastor Moody, Rufus Scrimgeour, Bathilda Bagshot, Ted Tonks, Dirk Cresswell, Gornuk, Dobby, Fred Weasley, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Colin Creevey, Severus Snape, and so many others…last of all that ran through her mind: Her parents, the ones that had vacationed with her and raised her, teaching her to be strong, studious, brave…they were dead too, killed by Hermione herself. They had been replaced by Monika and Wendell Wilkins, their new child, and a puppy. To Hermione, they would always lurk her memories, but the old them, those people were gone.

Hermione took a deep breath, trying to get a hold of the sobs. She told herself that she needed to be strong, to not show herself as an overly excessive tragic sop that couldn't deal quietly the deaths of her loved ones. She quickly got a hold of herself and looked up. Across from her sat nobody, to her left, a very somber but still smiling Mrs. Weasley, and on her other side, Hermione noticed with surprise, Blaise Zabini: a would-be Death Eater-in training and a Slytherin. She was glad that he was not paying attention to her, rather his very affectionate and very gorgeous mother. Across from Blaise sat his girlfriend, a Madelyn Hanton, who had been with Blaise since fifth year. Hermione decided that she wouldn't be very surprised to see them engaged later that year, after dating for three years, and now they were legal adults.

Further down, next to the Zabini's and Ms. Hanton, sat the Malfoy's . Since House tables had not been put in effect after the Battle had ended, everybody sat scattered. The table that they were currently occupying would be the Ravenclaw table if anybody had bothered to notice. No one did though, except for the every observant Hermione. Everybody else was too busy taking in their families and friends.

Hermione noticed that Malfoy Jr. was sitting next to his father, the Malfoy Sr. Draco and Lucius; rather reluctant Death Eaters, filthy rich, and too prideful for their own good. The Mrs. of that family, Narcissa, sat on the other side of her grown up son and husband, holding tightly to Draco Malfoy's arm as if she was afraid he would suddenly up, out, and completely disappear. Hermione grinned to herself, rather against her own will, at the expression on Draco's face. He looked overly coddled and quite claustrophobic, probably from the intense but subtle love he was receiving from his dark parents. Hermione realized he had probably never experienced that kind of love before in all of his life, and certainly not from his parents. For him, it was probably an entirely new thing that he was being forced to deal with.

Hermione looked to the left again at Mrs. Weasley and the people that she had relied on for family, besides her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sat with their children in between them: Percy, looking awkward, right next to his father, George, red faced and broken, trying to crack jokes to lighten the loss of his other half, Bill and Fleur, staring at each other in adoration and relief that both of them had survived, Charlie, making eyes at a female that was obviously checking him out from across the room, and then Harry, Ginny, and Ron sitting next to Mrs. Weasley. Ron was looking out of place and distinctly ruffled by an overflow of hugs and kisses from his mother, and Harry and Ginny were smiling with all of the mushy young love that they could muster with Ginny's mother right there. That was another couple Hermione expected to see married within the next year.

Across was Andromeda Tonks, holding her grandson, Teddy, and mourning the death of her husband, daughter, and son-in-law. She had no one left in the world, ostracized from her original Black family.

Everybody was too caught up in their lives to notice that Hermione stood up and walked out the doors and into the courtyard. She sat on a bench and looked up at the sky, the gray sky letting loose, just like it had a year ago when Dumbledore had passed, killed by Severus Snape. It was a shock, more to Harry and Ron than to Hermione that he had actually been on the side of the Order of the Phoenix.

Hermione summoned an umbrella with her wand and held it over her head. She sighed. Truth be told, Ms. Granger just didn't fully know what to do with herself. School was out of the question as her last year had just ended, and she had been gone for most of it, she couldn't go with her parents, obviously, the Weasley's were out of the question as they would probably already be hosting Harry, though Hermione supposed she could go back to 12 Grimauld Place. No, that wouldn't do either, for as soon as Ginny became Mrs. Potter, they would surely be moving in there to raise their happy bouncing baby Potters.

Hermione sighed. She would just have to take life one step at a time and make her own way now. She would transfer the rest of the money from her bank account, and get a job…maybe two. Surely, if anyone had to go through this and start over fresh, Hermione Jean Granger was the woman for the job.


	3. Chapter Two: Life Goes On

Chapter Two: Life Goes On

Hermione had been taking care of herself for the past two years now. The war was officially over, Death Eaters having been put on trial and most surrendering. The rest went into hiding. Everything was going well, completely quiet as far as trouble went. And for Hermione, that was just fine. She had spent all of her Hogwarts years doing nothing but getting into trouble and she was perfectly okay with taking a break from the drama. Though, a two year break certainly does seem long enough.

Hermione sat behind a desk, rubbing her temples, and trying to read through a sloppily written proposal form. One would think that to get a job in a high end Law firm, you would need to at least have proper grammar and spelling skills, nonetheless a law firm debating on the lives of Witches and Wizards, but no. The unfortunate person whose proposal this was kept mixing up the words and meanings of _know_ and _now, it's _and _its_, etc. It was rather infuriating. Hermione Granger gave up on the poorly written paper and thanked the gods that it was just a draft. She would need to have a word to the head about whether or not they absolutely had to hold on to a certain employee.

A bell rang from somewhere deep inside a drawer and, startled, the nineteen year old Auror shrieked and she heard immediate knocking on her office door.

"Ms. Granger, everything alright in there," Hermione was annoyed but held it in. She had become very good keeping her emotions hidden. As one of the only female Auror's, she was treated like a three year old, coddled about every single thing.

"I am perfectly fine, a simple startle is all." Hermione grumbled under her breath so the man outside could not hear her. "Stupid sexist pig, git of a thousand years…" Hermione, in all of her grumbling, did not hear her door open.

"Now, I'm sure that is not the proper greeting for a best friend…" Hermione jumped and then ran towards the invader of her office.

"Harry! Oh my goodness, you're back! How are you? How did things go? It's so good to see you again!" Harry had been gone for the past week on a secret mission involving Wizarding drug lords selling out illegal potions, leaving Ginny and their three children, all born within nine months of each other, at home.

Hermione had been right of course, about them getting married within that year. It was sooner than expected though, as they were engaged within a week later and married within that same month. Apparently Ginny was already pregnant with James, and they wanted to have their son within a good and stable marriage. They were very happy together. So far they had James, Albus, who was normally called Al, and Lily, youngest of the three. But not for long, as Hermione suspected that the Potters were already trying again for another child. It was good in their little circle of love.

"Ha, calm down, Hermione, calm down! Yes, I'm back, obviously, I'm doing fine, and everything went swimmingly. And it's good to see you too." Hermione and Harry grinned at each other and talked about all they had missed over the past week. It wasn't much. Hermione got out her venting about the improper essay and Harry told her that the Wizard Drug Lord wouldn't be showing his face anytime soon.

A buzzer on Hermione's desk called out, a woman asking for both of them to head to a surprise meeting. Used to these sort of things, both headed down together.

The meeting consisted of all the most prominent Auror's of the time, some of them being: Harry and Hermione of course, Ronald Weasley, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Blaise Zabini, and probably most shockingly for Harry and Ron to believe, Draco Malfoy. These were of the innermost circle of Aurors and some of the most trusted people in the wizarding community.

Hermione nodded to her fellow Aurors, trying not to take to personally the fact that she was the only woman there. She turned to face the front, trying to ignore the fact of how all of the men there stood when she walked into the room…so much for sexual equality and all of that. Kingsley stood at the front, drawing a diagram in midair with his wand. He turned to face the rest of them.

"Greetings all, there's been some news. For the past two years, all has been relatively quiet regarding the group once known as the Death Eaters. I'm afraid that there have been recent killings, all overly suspiciously reeking of Death Eater involvement." He paused, obviously sensing questions.

"What facts state that this is a Death Eater killing spree, and not just somebody trying to impersonate the disbanded group?" Zabini spoke from next to Hermione, speaking out what had exactly been running through Hermione's head.

"The Dark Mark is set directly above the victim, and nobody except for those told by Voldemort himself knew that spell, and those that did were forbidden on the Unforgiveable Curse not to tell anybody. The person that told me that much information under Veritaserum died promptly after uttering the last word." Hermione frowned. It did sound a lot like it was Death Eaters.

"What is our plan of action?" For being out of town on mission for the past week, Harry sure wasn't wasting a moment.

"We are sending in spies to the town where we believe the main Death Eater is living. They will become his or her friends, and when the time is right, the spies will give the signal, and we attack and bring him or her down. The spies will be there for an indeterminate amount of time." Hermione felt a tiny bit of dread creep up on her, but only a tiny amount. There were only two people in the group right there who had no families, no real lives outside of work, and everything to sacrifice for the cause: Draco Malfoy and her.

Hermione looked up and across from her, where the white-blonde male sat. His melted ice eyes were looking back at her. They both knew where this meeting was headed. Hermione nodded to her former enemy, as Draco Malfoy sighed to himself. And at exactly the same time, they stood up.

Kingsley Shacklebolt nodded as if he knew that they would respond that way. The rest of the group looked a little shocked, Harry, Blaise, and Ron more than a little…I mean worst enemies: Malfoy and Granger, going in to enemy ground that used to be _his_ ground together? They obviously couldn't work out well.

"Your debriefing packets will be sent to your individual offices. Everybody dismissed. We will meet again to further information. Granger and Malfoy, meet in my office in half an hour. Hermione nodded, as did Draco Malfoy and everybody left the room. Draco was ahead of everybody walking out with Blaise Zabini, Hermione at the end, walking with Harry and Ronald.

"Hermione, what in the bloody name of all that's holy were you thinking?" Ron whisper yelled. "He's going to freaking murder you in your sleep!" Hermione ignored the red haired wizard she had previously been in love with to the point of tears. She had gotten over those irritating feelings years ago, right after the last battle at Hogwarts, actually. Now, Ronald was the happy husband of Lavender Brown, previous ex-girlfriend. They had gotten over their issues and had fallen deeply in love. They were the proud parents to a Rose Weasley and had a little boy on the way. Hermione was happy for them, and even happier that she didn't harbor the same feelings she had before for Ronald. She had come to see that he was ignorant, boyish, and extremely immature in all things, except for his job. Honestly, Hermione didn't know how Lavender put up with him enough to get two children out of it.

Hermione made it back to her office without answering Ronald's question, successfully tuning both him and Harry out. She had enough on her mind right now and didn't need them voicing what she'd already been thinking about. Hermione loved her friends, but sometimes, they just didn't know when to stop and shut up.

She found a manila envelope on her desk and quickly used her wand to open it. She found the introduction essay at the front of all of the papers and read that first.

_Ms. Hermione Jean Granger,_

_As Auror member you have volunteered/ been assigned to go under cover on this mission. Mission entitles you to be involved in a relationship with your volunteered/ assigned partner and basically to play house. You shall entwine yourself into the society and become knowledgeable on the person now leading the Death Eaters. You shall then, in turn, try and work your way into being close with whoever you may discovery to be a Death Eater and gain their trust, or whatever you can gain in the likeness of that. Then, when the time is right, you shall summon the Aurors and we shall apprehend the participators. This is your mission. Everything you will need in terms of money, papers, etc. is enclosed inside. _

_Good Luck and May you be ever Fruitful in your findings,_

_Lady Gray, Head Administer of the Auror Corporation_

Hermione sighed. So she would have to play house with the one who she would never even have guessed. …Karma. And even worse, she had willingly volunteered to be a part of it.

Skimming through the rest of the assignment information, Hermione noticed the time. She hurriedly stood up, grabbing the mess of papers and quickly organizing it, before heading off to Kingsley's office to meet Draco Malfoy and the other Auror in question.

Hermione knocked on the door and it swung open to reveal a table set with mahogany chairs. Kingsley was already sitting down at the head of the table. She walked in slowly, taking a place on his immediate right. They made small talk on the weather and such while waiting for the previous Death Eater. Hermione could barely stand it. She had always admired Kingsley Shacklebolt's expertise in remaining calm and soothing those around him, but it didn't seem to be working on the young Granger's nerves today. Rather the opposite, she found it irritating and would have rather jumped right into business.

Finally, after what seemed a cliché forever, he appeared in the doorway. Hermione, jumpy and irritable mumbled under her breath about people not having the decency to be on time.

"Ms. Granger, I believe if you will check the time, you will find I am precisely and completely on schedule. You were simply very early." Hermione, instead of blushing at being caught in her outright attitude, held up her chin in defiance, showing an air that came naturally to the previous Gryffindor. Draco Malfoy nodded his head in greeting towards their elder, and sat down across from Hermione, on Kingsley's immediate left.

"Very well, both of you…I would like to get one thing straight here. This mission could very well put a stop to Death Eater activity for the time being or start up another war. It is up to you." Hermione grinned to herself as she heard Malfoy mutter about 'no pressure or anything.' "I know of your past rivalry and hope that we are all past that silly and foolish childhood grudge you held against each other. For the sake of this world as we know it, no matter how overused that statement may seem, you must get over it at all costs."

Both Slytherin and Gryffindor nodded in agreement. The rift between them had truly been between Harry, Ron, and Draco…not between Hermione and Draco. As long as Harry and Ron were not there, they could be civil towards each other. At least that is what everybody was hoping. But deep down, Hermione feared that once a Slytherin always a Slytherin. And Draco had been worse. He had been a Death Eater set on a course in life of attempted assassination.

"Okay then, I'm glad that that is settled, now we can go over everything. Your home will be in Bristol. It's not much, just a cottage really, but everything in the area you'll be living in down there will pretty much be just cottages anyway. It's more of a village than anything…subtle and perfect for a Death Eater to lay low if he hadn't started anything yet, which he hasn't. He's just been working on warning and mercy killings as far as he sees it. Putting 'Muggleborns' out of their lives is probably what he sees as mercy but one can never know for sure.

"Your names, as you might have read are as follows. Mr. Malfoy, you are to be Mr. Henry Kemp and you Ms. Granger, his wife Mrs. Margaret Kemp. You have just been married and wanted a nice quiet village to raise your family. Margaret is nineteen, your age Hermione, and Draco, Henry is twenty, but an aging potion won't be necessary as you already look older than your age now. Your birth certificates and drivers licenses and everything else are in the packet. Both of you have knowledge of Muggles and should have no problem at all with working the devices. Well, kitchen appliances might be a tricky thing for you Draco, but Hermione should know her way around." Hermione nodded. "If any of you have any questions while on the mission, send a Patronus message, which both of you know how to do. Now, we are giving you the rest of the day to say goodbye to your families, and then you are expected back here, in the remake center. Good day to the both of you."

Hermione and Draco knew that they had been unofficially excused. Both stood up and walked out of the room. They stood there for a moment, awkwardly.

"Well," Hermione spoke softly, as if not daring to speak loudly, "I guess that we will be seeing each other later. Goodbye…Henry." And Draco, a little shocked that she had spoken to him nicely, could have sworn that he saw her wink at him, though on second glance, decided that he must have imagined the whole thing.


	4. C3 Out with the Old and In with the New

Chapter Three: Out with the Old and In with the New

Hermione didn't fully know where to go. She didn't have her parents anymore, Harry and Ginny would likely be 'catching up' after Harry's long absence, and Ron and Lavender would be watching Harry and Ginny's children along with their own at the Burrow, along with Harry's godson Teddy.

She didn't have anything in her little flat that she could take, nobody to say goodbye to. Hermione sighed, deciding to just go to the Burrow. They would freak out if she just disappeared without warning, though Harry and Ron would be able to tell them what happened even if she had not decided to go.

Hermione disapparated immediately after coming to the decision to fully say goodbye to her friends; she arrived seconds later, trying to catch her breathe. She walked up the stoop, smiled softly at the haggard garden and the gnomes peeking out from behind the flutterby bushes in the afternoon light.

She was just reaching out her hand to knock when the door swung open and Hermione was all but tackled by bundles of arms and legs. Hermione looked down fondly upon the children that knew her as 'aunty.' There was Fleur and Bill's child, Isabelle, who was barely three, as well as Teddy, who was the same age as his very feminine friend. Then there was the Ronald and Lavender Weasley child, Rose, who was crawling towards her happily, and then the Potter clan with James, and Al, and then finally, Little Lucas, George and Angelina Weasley's child, barely a few months old; Behind Angelina stood Ginny Potter, carrying her newest born child, Lily. When Hermione saw Ginny and little Lily, then did Hermione stop in her counting and greeting of her little 'nieces and nephews.'

Hermione all but tried to run to her closest friend, feminine closest friend of course. She couldn't help the tears that coursed from her eyes, and Ginny immediately knew that something was the matter. Handing Lily to Angelina, Ginny took Hermione up to her old bedroom, which was now a nursery for little Luke, since George and Angelina lived in the Burrow to take care of the aging Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

As soon as they were in the room, Ginny shut the door, sat Hermione on the bed, and sat at her feet.

Hermione's Point of View:

"What's going on Mione? Tell me what's running through that overpopulated brain of yours?" knew that I could trust Ginny with anything, and so I decided to confide in her, as she would take even the most trivial secret with her to the grave.

"It's, it's my new assignment. I can't tell much, as you know, but…let's just say that a person…whom we have hated our whole lives…I have to sort of…be in a relationship with him. For an indeterminate amount of time."

"Oh my, Hermione!" She lowered her voice. "…is it Draco?" I nodded at her wide eyed.

"Gin, I have to leave in less than an hour to start the assignment. I just got to come back and say goodbye. I don't know when I'll be able to see you again. I don't want to make a big deal over it, I'm just…nervous I guess. Only natural…but I never get nervous!" She comforted me as only Ginny can. She hugged me. And when Ginny hugs you, it's not just a hug. It is her putting all of her warmth and love into everything she's got and letting it pour into you. Needless to say, I loved Ginny's hugs.

"Gin, I have to go in order to be back there on time…I'm so sorry, I'm going to miss you so much." She smiled at me.

"Don't worry Mione, maybe you'll just fall in love with the ferret. After all, animals can be very cuddly." She winked at me and I giggled without really meaning to.

"Yeah right Hermione, that's like saying maybe Ronald with leave Lavender to go and marry Viktor Krum. He never even watched him play anymore." Ginny laughed.

"You'd be surprised, Hermione, you'd be surprised." And with that I had to leave. I apparated right out of that room, unwilling to see anybody else, for I knew that if I went downstairs and saw all of their beautiful and loving faces I would break down in tears, and I, Hermione Jean Granger, did _not_ break down in tears.

Draco Malfoy's Point of View

Forever was an awfully long time, made greater when spent with somebody that you had grown up forced to hate. I would know. I had spent seventeen years in my father's household. I knew that forever didn't really exist, for I knew that all good things ended. At least, that is what my father believed, and why he had followed the Dark Lord. He figured that the Voldemort would always be there in the end, for he was not good.

I had believed differently. I did believe that good things did end, but only if your actions forced them to end. Or, that good things did end only so better things could begin. That is why I had been forced to follow the Dark Lord and take upon me his mark. I didn't believe in his words, but believed that he would one day fall, and then better days would come. In the process of believing that, I had failed somewhere, and become brainwashed by my Death Eater family, and the people that my parents knew from their…extracurricular activities. It was only when I was there, facing the Professor, that everything came crashing back…and I remembered all that I used to believe.

I walked slowly up the drive towards the place most considered to be my home: Malfoy Manor. It was not my home, it was just a house, a house filled with empty memories…

I shook my head. I really needed to get out of myself and talk to somebody. But who would listen to an ex-Death Eater, albeit a rather reluctant one? I walked into the main parlor and saw my mother sitting in front of the fire, roaring flames crackling from inside the chimney and mantle.

I kissed my mother on her cheek and sat down next to her.

"I am leaving, on assignment. I do not know how long I shall be gone, but I shall try and be in touch, if I am able. I doubt that though. I shall think of you…and father. Wish me luck." That was all that I said, I need not say more. She had lost her mind after the war and after my father was sent to Azkaban. Then my father had his soul sucked by Death Eaters. He was a corpse now, and only that. He needed to be fed, and taken care of, but he was not dead…never dead. And even though he couldn't speak, he could yell quite well. That was when my mother had truly lost it: when she had seen her husband so broken, so ruined…deteriorating but breathing. I looked down at one of the House Elves.

"Keep her breathing…them breathing." The House Elf nodded and a thought briefly crossed my mind of Granger and her ideas of House Elf equality, with that, still shaking my head over thinking of the Mud-Muggleborn. Then I disapparated away, still confused as to why I had thought of _her._ I had good reason to though…she would be my 'wife' for the next while.

Normal (3rd Person) Point of View

Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy arrived at exactly the same time in the remake center. They shared an awkward look, but didn't get a chance to do much more than that before they were ushered away into separate rooms.

Hermione was poked, pinched, prodded, and cleaned thoroughly to remake her into Margaret Kemp. When she finally got a look at herself, she was a little more than shocked. Her hair, once curled, and brown, was now completely gone. In its place was black. Pure and simple black: It was still curly, though the curls were now loose and not quite as tangled. My hair was longer. Originally it had been around my shoulder blades, now it was around the middle of my back. I looked so different. My eyes, instead of the chocolate warm brown, were now bright green. On an offhand thought, I realized that I looked like the feminine version of Harry, without the scar and with controllable hair. I still had the same body: tall, curvy, thin but not overly.

She was dressed in shorts, with lace stockings underneath, leather knee high boots, and a beaded tank top. A red ribbon was tied through my hair. I guessed that the woman I was playing, though fictional, was very original and quite the character. Some part inside of Hermione couldn't wait to see Draco.

Draco was shoved into a room diagonal across from Hermione's. The woman who came told him to take it all off and put on the clothes that laid on the bench. While he changed, uncaring as to his apparent nudity and her open interest, she charmed his hair and eyes. His hair was now, he noticed, a lighter brown color, and his eyes a light blue. He frowned. He preferred his own appearance better.

"I don't suppose…" She sighed.

"Oh all right, but just the hair." She changed it back to its original color and lengthened it a bit so that it was slightly longer than it had been in his sixth year at Hogwarts.

Draco was wearing a leather jacket, one that he found much to his liking. A red t-shirt he wore underneath with black jeans. He had to admit that, in Muggle clothing, he looked good. Normally he just wore the suits but no, everything looked pretty good on him. It was what it was.

He turned to walk out of the room.

"Wait, your, um…mark. We need to cover it." Draco shot her a smirk.

"Already taken care off," and then he walked out of the room to wait for Granger. Kingsley met them both first, again, before they had a chance to converse.

"Okay you two. First of all, there is a portkey that will take you just outside of Berlin, at an almost vacant bus stop. From there, you will need to go to a car dealership and get yourselves the car that was preordered. The address to your new home is in the information. We'll be in touch at the end of every week for the first while. And we shall see you later. Everything else that you'll need is in the packet. Your portkey leaves in two minutes, so you both need to get yourselves to the atrium. A question on clothing and groceries, there are some for you all stocked up for you right now. Anything else, you will have to get from the bank account we set up. Good luck and goodbye." He nodded his head and dismissed the two nineteen year olds.


	5. Chapter Four: Settling

Chapter Four: Settling

Hermione Granger Point of View

We almost missed the portkey in the atrium. I rather think that the both of us were reluctant about holding on, and literally grasping our future with our hands. But then we were holding on, and we were gone, torn away from our past lives and taken to something that nobody was one hundred percent sure about.

We were dropped harshly onto concrete ground. I lost my balance in the cursed heels and would have twisted my ankle. I closed my eyes tightly and expected the pain to come rushing. After a while, I squinted and looked into Draco's smirking face. I scowled and looked to see that he had caught my hand before I had completely turfed it. His hand was warm, despite his cool appearance. Large and enveloping my smaller one, not too calloused, not to soft…perfect. I inwardly scolded myself for thinking even the slightest sort of thing like that about anyone…nonetheless Draco Malfoy.

I stood up, with my hand still in his, and looked up into his magically changed eyes.

"Thank you, for that." He grinned at me, a real true almost smile. I had never seen one of those before.

"Well, I don't want a crippled wife now, do I, Mrs. Kemp?" And that would be the first time I truly giggled at something that had come out of Draco Malfoy's mouth. Maybe people could change after all. …Maybe. We stood there in silence, waiting for the bus. We had nothing to amuse ourselves, were only allowed to use our magic in severe emergencies, and had no idea when the bus would be coming. I guess there's a reason why people say that you need to live for the moment. After all, who truly gave a crap about our clothing?

We were sitting cross-legged on the ground, not talking, in an obdurate silence. It wasn't that we refused to talk to each other, just that there was nothing to talk about. We weren't exactly up on each other's 'trustworthy confidantes' list yet.

Draco Malfoy Point of View

I could sense the rain would fall soon. Bristol was not well know, after all, for its bright and sunny days. The bus needed to get here soon.

I felt unlike myself, clueless as to what to say, what to do, how to act…so I did the only thing that I could do…keep quiet. And then she spoke.

"Sorry, by the way, for third year…punching you. You deserved it, but still. I'm sorry, I…got mad." I looked up in surprise. I was kind of surprised that she remembered that. As it was, nobody except for my Aunt Bellatrix, Uncle Regulus, and father had ever hit me before. It was an entirely new experience for me to have been hit by a girl smaller than me, and a Muggleborn too. All of that blood status crap, was just that…crap. But I had to admit I felt a tiny bit ridiculous to have been hit like that by Granger. I grinned at her, and then frowned. Since when did a Malfoy grin?

"It's fine. I admired your courage of hitting me actually, even if you didn't pack it very hard…" I was teasing. It had hurt like the devil, but I couldn't let her know that, could I? She scowled at me and glared hard at the ground. I scooted a few inches away, a bit wary of her flying fists of fury. The name brought up a smile in my head…flying fists of fury…

"You are a first class arse Draco Malfoy, you know that? Well, maybe I take it back, maybe I'm not sorry for hitting you, and you know what else? You absolutely fail at lying. You are an almost complete open book. I can see the lie written all over your face." I was shocked. I was not an open book…to anyone. Not even my own mother could read my expressions, and even Voldemort, guessing at how I felt, had been completely wrong. Nobody could ever tell what I was thinking…except for her? I glanced at the ground, angry that this girl could read the unreadable. Well, I shouldn't be surprised after all, I mean, Granger…Hermione…read everything. "I'm sorry." She was speaking again and I marveled at her sense of needing forgiveness, to be in the light of others. "I agree with what I said, but I didn't need to say it like that. I'm sorry…Draco." I glanced upwards sharply, my heart on fire. 'What in hell?' I thought. 'Why am I acting like this? I never even talk to her at all!'

"It's fine…Hermione…after all, I am a first class arse…and don't you forget it." I succeeded in my goal, in making her laugh. Somebody really had to life the mood. I was relieved as I saw the headlights of the bus coming around the corner. It was almost fully dark out and I kind of wanted a bed and a hot shower…not particularly in that order, but still. I helped Hermione up, noticing her strong, soft hand, and we climbed on board, dropping change into the dispenser at the front. The driver nodded at us and hit the gas, going around twenty miles per hour. I sighed, sitting by my now 'wife.' It was times like these in muggle transportation, that I really missed the night bus, my broom, and praise the lord, apparating. I glanced over at Hermione, who sat right next to me, and rolled my eyes. Reading she was, and deeply into her book.

I looked up and saw the driver looking at us through the rearview, curious as to who we were and where we were going. I motioned for him to keep going, and told him the address to the rental car place. A few minutes later we were there. I gently shook Hermione.

"Margaret, come on love, it's time to get off." Hermione jumped at the name and I smirked to myself. I had a feeling that the first time somebody called me 'Henry' I would be a little confused as well. I wasn't the heartless and all-knowing Malfoy everybody seemed to think that I was. I had played my guise well it seemed. I wanted desperately to prove to Hermione Granger that I wasn't an all-around bad guy. I knew, as we walked past the driver, that we needed to get more into the part of husband and wife. I was reluctant to make even the slightest move on 'my wife,' as Hermione might think me just trying to mess with her. And that was definitely not what I was doing.

Hermione Granger Point of View

I was jumpy. I recognized the feeling as one I had gotten a lot at Hogwarts, with an overload of homework and too many problems to handle. I wasn't entirely sure, as before, what I was supposed to do myself. Yes, my job. But, how was I supposed to act around Draco, my supposed husband? Hold hands, kiss? Ugh…or worse? Would we be here so terribly long that when we finally finished the assignment we would act like the old married couples that were always seen strolling through parkways or bickering but holding hands in the middle of a café? A thousand thoughts ran through my head in seconds. I barely noticed as I pulled a book out of the purse that went with my outfit. I opened it but didn't focus on it. I barely knew what I was reading. I was too busy trying to deal with the thoughts that were going through my head than to focus on the words that had been previously typed up on the paper before me.

I was completely oblivious to the bus stopping, but jumped when Draco spoke.

"Margaret, come on love, it's time to get off." I felt like a deer caught in headlights. As the only passengers on the bus, both the driver and Draco were watching me, Draco with a grin on his face. I blushed a little, and thanked the gods for the dark interior. I stood and made to walk down the aisle. I stopped short and turned my head though as a warm arm was draped around my shoulders. I looked up into the face of Malfoy and hesitantly smiled, knowing that I needed to act the part of Mrs. Margaret Kemp to fool the driver.

"Are you alright, ma'am? This bloke treating you right?" The bus driver questioned me and I giggled a bit. I glanced at Malfoy and saw that his face looked hard and cold. Dangerous territory.

"I'm fine sir, I'm just a bit under the weather." Of course my 'husband' then had to add something. He whispered it like it was some sort of joke or secret.

"Word to the wise, don't go to wild on the first time, mate." I scowled and whacked his shoulder as the bus driver winked and simultaneously turned bright red at being let in on our supposed bedroom life.

I stalked off of the bus and onto the lamp lit street. Across the road I watched the sign 'Mels' Motors' flicker on and off. A sign in the window read _Open. _As soon as the bus and driver pulled away, I ran across the street, or say waddled. I couldn't do much running in the accursed heels.

I knew that Draco was behind me, he had to be. But I did not make to wait for him or converse with him. He had embarrassed me and frankly I was to upset over the current situation of being married, even pretend, to try and create collateral damage.

Draco Malfoy Point of View

She was pissed and it was entirely my fault. Honestly though, I didn't really care. Her expression was to priceless for anything she could spit out at me. I sighed to myself. It was going to be very interesting tonight if there was only one bed.

I started to walk by her as she got closer to the door. At pretty much the last minute, I ran forward to grab the door for her. She looked at me surprised and gave half a smile, but I saw in her eyes that she was in no mood for lackluster chivalry but in need of a comfortable bed, preferably feather.

Hermione and I waited in front of the counter as I rang the bell that sat on the desk. We waited for about two minutes until an old man with greasing and graying yellow hair and a pale orange mustache with a beer belly rolled out of the back room.

"Can I help yer folks?" He spoke with a bit of an Irish brogue, but his tongue sounded heavy in his mouth. A drunk running the shop…splendid.

"Yes, we are here to pick up our rental." We exchanged the required information and then went around back to the car we assumed to be ours. Lucky guesses got us to the right one on the first try. It was not, in any way at all, inconspicuous. It was bright yellow, made for speed, and looked like it took a whole roll of precious muggle bills to pay for it. We thanked the man and then climbed in the car.

Hermione had decided to drive, as she was more accustomed to cars and driving them than I was. They looked like great metal beetles to me.

I was a bit nervous, not putting trust in anything that relied on rubber to move. Obviously Hermione could tell.

Hermione Granger Point of View

He was as nervous as one could get. His pale hands, tanned a little from the remake center, gripped the seat and he held the door handle so tight that his knuckles were very evident. I laughed. I couldn't help myself.

To try and get his mind off of it, I handed him the address and the map and told him to navigate. After all, then I couldn't be accused of getting the both of of us lost.

We had been driving for over half an hour to get to the house. The road we now lived on was full of quaint little cottages. Ours was at the very end of the street. It was a dark shade of indigo, with a white picket fence and white flower boxes. The grass was freshly mowed and roses grew in the front yard. A cute cobblestoned path led up the drive and to the wood stained porch. A hammock and rocking chair sat on the porch.

I parked the car in the open and empty garage and sighed.

"Well, here goes nothing." I looked over at Draco. He had released his death grip on the seat but still looked rather paler than normal. "Are you ready to go in?" He shook his head.

"Go in, I'll join you in a minute…Hermione." I nodded, ignoring the fact that he had called me by my first name. I'd try and bring it up later.

I got out and walked to the door that led into the house. I closed my eyes, and then turned the handle and stepped inside.

I had walked into what seemed to be a mud room that hosted a washer and dryer as well. The next room I came to was a family room, then dining room and kitchen. The living room was by the front door.

I walked up the stairs to see the master bathroom and master bedroom, plus the two spare bedrooms. We would turn one into an office. We would leave the other one to its own devices.

I walked into the master bedroom and bathroom. It was big and I sighed to see that there were two queen sized beds fit together with a desk in between. No need for sharing the bed or using the other bedroom then.

The house was decorated nicely, with nice furniture that wasn't tacky and with a different color set in each room. I heard the door to the garage open downstairs and knew that Draco had come in. Yelling down the stairs that I was getting in the shower, I made my way into the cool recesses of the bathroom.

The shower I took was long and warm, and with enough hot water left for Draco in case he wanted to clean before bed. I stepped out and looked in the reflection of the mirror. White skin, black hair, wide hips, thin stomach, slight abs and biceps: I took myself in before wrapping myself into a red towel. I heard Draco in the room carrying up the bags. I felt mildly guilty that I hadn't helped take them in.

I turned to grab my clothes when I noticed that, as I had not gotten my luggage, I had none. I watched my face in the mirror as shock turned to horror. I needed to stay calm. I could do this. We were on assignment and I would have my towel. Everything would be okay. I scowled to myself thinking of how cliché this situation was. I'd read about it in pretty much every book that had a situation like ours. Most of them had been romance books. That didn't help my mood at all.

"Draco, I didn't bring in any clothes, I have a towel, and I'm coming out. Do _not_ make me regret it please."

Draco Malfoy Point of View

After I came in with the bags, I walked upstairs. I didn't want to explore the house now, just wanted a hot shower and bed, I didn't care whose bed it was. I was setting the bags down when I heard her call from inside the bathroom.

"Draco, I didn't bring in any clothes, I have a towel, and I'm coming out. Do _not_ make me regret it please." I blushed to myself, thinking what it would have been like if she had not had a towel. I chided myself and shouted out my okay to her.

I could feel the warmth of the bathroom leaving as she opened the door. But as far as noticing details about the temperature, that was about it. She was beautiful. I hated those things that I had called her all throughout Hogwarts for she was none of them. I had been simple and childish then, we both had been, but now…Hermione was no longer a child.

Her skin was perfect, her hair already falling into loose curls, her legs long, and her cheekbones high. Her face was tinted with the heat and adding to her blush it made her look even more appealing. I myself felt the pink tint of my blush come when I noticed that one side of the towel was sinking lower and lower.

I turned around, rather forcedly, and opened the suitcase that I assumed belonged to her. I was right and moved away from it so that she could get her things. I assumed she would go back in the bathroom but she didn't. I watched her delicately pick up the clothing and saw her face was set in one of absolute disdain.

"What is it?" She turned to face me, completely angry. I was glad that the anger wasn't because of me.

"Lingerie," she all but whispered. That is pretty much the only thing as far as sleep clothing in here! I swear I am going to _kill_ whoever designed this wardrobe. What in Hell do they think that we will be doing?" I started to laugh, noticing the items in the suitcase, were indeed lingerie. I was bent over in two, that was how hard I was laughing. I shut right up when she walked behind a curtain that was used from dressing and dropped her towel though.

I looked away. The only time a man should ever see that shape is with his own wife, and technically, Hermione wasn't my wife.

When she came back out it was in pretty lace pink underwear and a silk camisole. I tried not to stare too much. Quickly I went into the shower.

When I came out, a blue towel wrapped around my waist, she was in the bed that I had previously wanted, watching me, in much the same that I had watched her. I knew what she would be seeing too: corded muscles, abs, and strong pale skin. I liked my appearance immensely. She turned over and I quickly threw on some boxers and a t-shirt.

"You need to move." I stood above her, watching as she raised her eyebrow critically at me.

"No. Go to the other bed."

"No." And that was when I made up my mind and promptly got in with her. She refused to move from her spot in the middle.

"Stay all you want but if you touch me, I will not hesitate before cutting off your ability to reproduce." And that is how we spent our first night.


	6. Chapter Five: Making Friends

Chapter Five: Making Friends

Hermione heard the sound of rain hitting against the window pane. The sun was barely shining through the wet window and she could feel that it was going to be a cool day.

As more of her senses awoke she realized that she smelled something really good, and was warmer than she should be. But she still didn't open her eyes, and had decided not to look and notice what she felt. She was just too comfortable where she was. The smell was, if nothing, intoxicating. Whatever it was smelled of a sort of clear musk smell, deep but definitely not overwhelming. Whatever it was Hermione loved it. Hermione decided that it was officially time to wake up. She wanted to bathroom before the male population of the house got to it.

Draco had woken up in the middle of the night, freezing cold. He had irritable looked over at the other half of the bed and saw Hermione, blankets wrapped tight around her as if in a cocoon. He had to smile at that. It was just so ridiculous. But he was still cold.

So he did the unimaginable and broke, necessarily, his promise from before. Draco took the sleeping Hermione, unwrapped her gently, his fingers brushing her warm arms twice and once her thigh. That made him shiver, but not from cold, more from exhilaration.

He knew that if he didn't stay close to Hermione, then he would be left in the cold again. So he moved close so that her back was pressed against his chest. He ended up wrapping one of his legs around hers as well. And with that he fell asleep.

Hermione Granger Point of View

When I fully woke up, noticing my current surroundings for the first time. I really understood what the warmth and the smell was. Sometime in the night, I…or Draco….well, we had curled up next to each other. Currently, the blankets were wrapped around us, my head facing his t-shirt, and his arm loosely on my waist. I had been breathing him in, he had been my warmth. Quickly, but subtly, so that he would not know what had happened, I slithered out from the bed, doing so well that Draco Malfoy did not even stir in his sleep.

I felt awkward. Getting dressed for the day, pulling on some more of the stylish, yet comfortable, clothing that had been packed for me, I realized that the only reason I truly felt weird was because I had not realized it sooner, and because I had not moved sooner. What was the world coming to when Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy would sleep together?

I blushed to myself as I realized what I had just thought. Of course we hadn't _slept together,_ we had just slept together, as in the same bed, not as in the making love way. That _would_ be awkward. When I walked outside of the bedroom, I made sure to shut the door softly. I didn't want to face Draco before I had to…

Draco Malfoy Point of View

I felt her leave in the morning. I wasn't exactly aware of it, but I felt colder almost immediately and knew without looking that the other side of the bed, well, technically the other side of the middle of the bed, had been vacated.

I tried to ignore the strange feeling of sadness I got when I realized that. What was I doing? Was I falling for a Muggleborn? That was ridiculous. Nobody could truly fall for somebody over the time period of one day. The voice in the back of my head told me differently saying that maybe, throughout all the years of needless hating, I began to feel something for her.

I rolled out of bed and into the shower, using the hot water to wash away whatever thoughts of Hermione I had had that morning. I stared down at my forearm, knowing that even if Hermione felt…whatever it was that I was feeling, the mark forced on me will keep her away from trusting me.

Getting dressed I smelled something cooking from downstairs. I hoped that Granger knew how to cook…

She was silent when I walked into the kitchen, and I had a pretty good feeling of why that was. My little stunt last night had probably scared her off of my good terms. I knew that this would have happened but just didn't expect myself to care so much.

"Good morning?" It sounded like a question coming through my lips. Her shoulders tensed a little bit and I wondered if she even knew that I had walked into the room.

"Hi," Yep, definitely mad at me. "So, I've been thinking about the whole 'make friends' thing." She looked back at me, a concentrated look on her face, like she had been philosophizing hard about something. I nodded so she knew I was listening, more enjoying the heap of chocolate chip pancakes and mug of hot chocolate she set in front of me. I loved both, only having tried them once before, when my mother forced me to take out of school, over summer, Muggle Studies.

"So, what better way to get to know people than throw a 'get to know you' party?" I almost spit out my hot chocolate.

"What!" She looked shocked, and a little hurt. I lowered my voice. "Don't you think that it would be weird for the new people in town to throw a party so close as to when they moved? It seems kind of…"

"Pushy?" She supplied the word for me and sighed. "I know, but I can't think of another way to meet all the people in the area, decided which ones are rotten tomatoes, get close to them, and then call in the Order and the Aurors."

"...are you seriously using vegetables to descrive the people in this town?"

"They can be fruit too, and I thought that it would lighten the mood?" She, like I had before, made her ending sentence sound like a question. I was a little disappointed. Yes, her plan made sense in the order of time, but what if I wanted to drag this out as long as possible. I spoke my next sentence, ignoring what thought had just crossed my mind and what it might mean.

"I know how…" She looked at me sharply.

"Let me guess…do some sort of hex you know that will round up all of the Death Eaters and call them to you? Let's just apparate to the Ministry then, and do it there!" She looked sheepish after speaking what, surely, had been on her mind all morning. I was trying to stay calm, but naturally, her high-strung attitude was getting to be a bit much for this early in the morning. "I'm sorry," she squeaked out. That was awful and terribly rude of me. Everybody trusts you now, and so…" she took a deep breathe. "I will trust you too." To say that I was shocked on learning of her trust was to say that in the least. Nobody, throughout all of my nineteen years, had ever trusted me…at all.

"Well, since you trust me…lets just…drag it out a bit. See where this thing takes us. I might get you to not hate me so much." I practically whispered. Then, finishing my breakfast, stood up and went to go and start remodeling the third bedroom into an office.

Hermione Granger Point of View

I knew that what I said, both things, were completely unbelievable and totally outrageous, the first one being very mean, and the second being very true, but something I hadn't let myself believe until now. I felt horrible. How could I have said that!? I mentally yelled at myself, watching him stand up, leaving his dishes on the table, and job up the stairs, his feet bouncing him up a little bit to get rid of all the pent up energy.

I grinned at that, memories rushing back into my head. _Draco Malfoy,_ Ronald had stated, _the Amazing Bouncing Ferret_. It truly did have a nice ring to it. But I would never, unless provoked, say that to his face. I just wouldn't be that awful again. And I could tell that that had hurt him before.

I did the dishes and then walked into the family room, where all of the books were kept. I had noticed them this morning as I walked downstairs to make the morning meal. I had tried to keep my ecstasy to a minimum. But now, Draco was gone upstairs, and I had a room all to myself…

I scanned the shelves, finally settling on one that looked interesting. I sat down on a loveseat and lost myself in the pages

The next thing that I truly heard was the doorbell ringing. I shook my head, trying to clear my head, and my 'husband' ran down the stairs. He gave me a weird look that clearly asked if I had gone ahead with my plan to invite people over. I glared at him. If he thought I would go ahead without my working partners consent, then it was really true that he didn't know anything about me. I shook my head no, and we both made our way to the door, trying to put on a façade that would fit our new characters as the Kemp's. Draco turned the handle and we both tried to smile.

"Hello, my name is Olivia Grande two houses down and this is Parker Vane from right next door. We're here to welcome you to the neighborhood!" They were cheery and clearly in a relationship, as they were holding hands. Olivia had soft blonde hair and blue eyes, and was petite, where Parker was dark skin, dark eyes, and dark hair, tall and muscular.

"Hi!" I spoke first as Draco seemed incapacitated. I elbowed him and wondered what the matter was. True, Olivia was very beautiful but he couldn't be acting like this. _We_ were supposed to be married. "I'm Margaret Kemp and this is my husband…" Draco still hadn't really responded. "Henry, dear?" The name seemed to awaken him, and startle him, but luckily Parker didn't seem to really notice, and Olivia looked like this happened to her a lot. Someone to be careful of, something in the back of my brain stated. Sadly, my heart agreed.

"Yes, we just moved in. How do you do?" Draco finally made to greet them. We exchanged pleasantries and they gave us welcoming cupcakes and then an invitation.

"What's this?" I asked, puzzled. Parker answered for Olivia.

"It's an invitation to the grand ball that Grande here hosts every year on Holiday at the City Centre." I was kind of weirded out that Olivia was hosting the very thing I had said we should do, meaning me and Draco, this morning. At glance at Draco through the corner of my eyes told me that he was thinking the very same thing.

"Thank you! It's much appreciated. We look forward to getting to know everybody in this town. It's all very pleasant." Olivia and Parker nodded their heads, pleased.

"Promise me Margaret that you will save me a dance? After all, as next in line for Mayor in this city after my father passes, it will be all about connections." Parker's words left me with chills. He was the Mayor's son and making subtle threats? At least that's what I took it to be.

"Well, I don't mean to seem rude, but we really need to get some home decorating and shopping done…" Draco firmly wrapped his arm around my waist, and I didn't jump as I had expected him too. It would only be natural for his character to do that after another man, one with influences nonetheless, hit on his wife, however imperceptibly. Throughout all of our little exchanged, I noticed that Olivia looked thoroughly disgruntled.

"Of course," she muttered. "Let's be going Parker, and not infringe upon these nice peoples hospitality any longer." Her annoyance, whether directed at Draco or at Parker, or even me, I had no idea, but it bled through her voice, making her anger known. They left quickly after that, and I shut the door carefully.

Draco was angry, it emanated off of him in folds, and I was rather startled at that. After all, this was a fake marriage. But…I stopped my thinking right there. I didn't need another problem by thinking of what my feelings were for my co-Auror might be.

"Are you okay?" I asked Draco worried.

"Fine, but what in the name of Hell was that guy…!" He tried to halt his offensive words and calm down.

"I know. But I kind of think you deserved it. After all, you were rather entranced with his girlfriend there…" I giggled, watching his expression. I stopped as I understanding appear on his face.

"Veela." I was puzzled.

"Excuse me? I missed that…"

"Veela, Hermione, Veela! She's a Veela. And she's our neighbor. She must be with them, assigned to get close to us!" I sat down, startled. That would explain everything…well, a lot of it at least. We were living in a supposed Muggle town, hunting down reform Death Eaters, and our neighbor probably knew about it all.


	7. Ch 6: Confessions of an Ex-Death Eater

Chapter Six: Confessions of an Ex-Death Eater

Draco Malfoy Point of View

I knew that I needed to explain everything to Hermione, but this was going to be hard considering what she would know when I finished. I watched her sullenly as she sat down, completely and utterly shocked at my revealing of information.

"How did I not think of it before?" She muttered to herself, and then louder… "You almost blew our cover and I didn't even think there could be magic or anything magic related involved. I simply thought that you fancied her...oh gosh…a Veela." I sat down across from her and gently started to explain.

"Veela are like the sirens of human fairytale. They aren't exactly entirely…human. They entrance their prey to them with their beauty, charm, and mannerisms. Any specimen of the opposite gender is at risk to that Veela, since there are both male and female. A person can be part Veela, if a Veela and human mate together and have a child, and begin a generation. A Veela feeds on the souls of their prey, at least they used to. That practice has been disbanded, and nobody has experienced that since Voldemort returned for the first time. But if new Death Eater's truly are here, then they might be using Veela to suck their victims souls. Normally, a victim would completely succumb to a Veela's will and do his or her every wish. I, I only was entranced by her beauty." Hermione looked up at me.

"How come you didn't fully succumb then?" She questioned.

"Because Veela can't fully compel other Veela and I am 1/100th Veela. The line of Veela would end at me, so any of my offspring wouldn't be Veela, but I am partially, that's where I get my blonde hair. I can't compel or anything since I am at the last of the bloodline. Anything I reproduce would be too tiny for it to matter, and couldn't be called Veela. My parents hoped I wouldn't have the blood, but I do. It's the main reason why I was put in Slytherin, because Veela are generally evil." I remembered Fleur who had married in to the Weasley family. "Not all, and Fleur was only partially Veela like me, so she wouldn't be. It's also one of the reasons why Voldemort wanted to recruit me, because I had partial Veela blood, and he hoped I would carry more tendencies to their old ways. I didn't though, so as punishment for that, and for my fathers screw up, he assigned me to kill Dumbledore. That's one of my biggest secrets. I trust you to keep it." She simply nodded her head. It was a lot to process, I knew, so I left her there to digest. I would talk to her later about it, and get her opinion on Olivia Wilde.

I was up working on the bedroom/office, tearing up the pink flooring when she came in.

"I'm sorry." She said. "I never even tried to guess at why you might be in Slytherin because I always assumed that you were some appalling person that wanted to be in there because of your 'black heart.'" I shot Hermione a knowing smirk.

"At first, it really was. I had been raised hearing great stories of the good old days with my father serving and my mother supporting the Dark Lord. I was excited because all I grew up hearing were stories of how great and wonderful he was, not how he murdered people in cold blood, terrorizing people left and right, trying to change the world for the worse. Sure, I knew that he killed people, but I never even assumed that he killed innocent, just the ones who deserved to die. Because that's what I had been taught, that 'Mudbloods,' as they called them, were evil and stole what was ours. When I got to Hogwarts, I learned the truth, met people whose parents our relatives had been killed…everybody feared and hated Voldemort. I did what was expected and went along with the other Slytherins, the Death Eater kids who had been raised as I had, but found their parents ways to be correct. I never acted like I questioned the teachings, just went along with it. It was when I finally became a Death Eater, and was given the assignment to kill the Headmaster, that I began to realize what an egotistical and self-rightrous git that I had been. I never truly put meaning behind my words. Ha, the one time that I actually hesitated about what I was doing was actually when you punched me in third year, but I brushed it off my shoulders. It unsettled me though. So when Voldemort called me back to his side during the final battle, after Crabbe and Goyle basically cornered me to round up Potter, I couldn't say no, because he would kill me, and my parents on the spot. I couldn't let that happen and I have recognized myself as a coward. So I began to fight who I was my whole life, and fix what, technically, I hadn't done, but was still part of and pretend supported. I became an Auror. Then my father had his soul sucked by Dementors, and my mother lost her mind. I threw myself into work, and here I am. So, you're right Hermione, I did have a black heart, but I'm trying to scrub off the nastiness and reveal the natural red…" I scoffed at myself and then took a quick glance at Hermione.

Hermione Granger Point of View

I felt awful. All of the years of hatred and despise going out towards somebody who had been raised with it and had to basically support it or else he would be killed by Death Eaters, and detested by his own family.

I went over to him and sat down on the ruined floor. Without hesitating, without worrying what he would think of me, I wrapped my arms around his waist and just hugged him. I felt hesitate for all of two seconds, and then his arms were around my waist. We were sitting there for what seemed like forever, just enjoying each other's company, his face in my hair, mine pressed against his chest. Our sort of love-hate relationship would never be the same again.

"Tell me about your life." His voice was muffled. I hesitated before responding, and then decided against it. He had pretty much just told me his darkest secret and I wouldn't tell him my life? I wouldn't be so callous.

"My parents were young when they married, completely oblivious Muggles like all Muggles usually are. It was only a few months before they found out they were pregnant, carrying me. I was born and automatically they knew something was up with me. Naturally I could do weird things. Ha, they thought I loved reading because I would go through books a day, and could basically repeat everything back to them. I honestly didn't really like reading that much, but I learned to love it because for every single Holiday or birthday, they gave me new books. I would either have to learn to love it or to hate them for giving me things that I hated. It became a tolerance, and then just a way to get away from my parents and life.

"My parents were the kind of people that were so in love, they fought about everything to keep the perfection. They fought so much, mostly about me and the weird things that I could do, that I naturally felt guilty. As I spent most days at the library, the only place they would let me go without them, they started spending more time at their dentist office. By the time I got my Hogwarts letter, I barely ever saw them. Truly, they had probably already started to believe in magic just because of the stuff that I had done as a child, so it wasn't that hard to convince them that I was a witch when McGonagall came to tell me and them. Honestly, I think they were just glad to be rid of me and my nonsense. Sure, I loved them and they loved me, but, we just weren't there for each other. Nothing changed when I went to Hogwarts. They dropped me off and picked me up from the Station. But other than that, and mealtimes, we rarely saw each other. My parents were at work, or on vacation or dates without me, and then I was at school. It was just easier to love each other that way.

"When I left with Harry and Ron to find the Horcruxes, I took away my parents memories of me and changed their names to Wendell and Monika Wilkins. They live in Australia now; have a new family, and a puppy. Probably more kids. When I last checked, they were pregnant again. I used to go every six months to check on them. They have three kids…so far. And, that's it, the completely normal and boring story of Hermione Jean Granger." We just hugged each other tighter and reveled in unveiled truths. The amazing screwed up lives of me and Draco Malfoy. Maybe we weren't so different after all.


	8. Chapter Seven: Tying Up Loose Ends

Chapter Seven: Tying up Loose Ends

It was awkward to say in the least, but Hermione and Draco fell asleep in each other's arms that night, there upon the torn up bedroom/office floor. Well, actually, Hermione, as embarrassing as she felt afterwards, fell asleep against Draco's chest, and Draco, not wanting to move his sleeping 'wife' just laid down beside her and then fell asleep himself. And also, it wasn't really night, it was around noon, and it was only a quick nap. But still. Apparently spilling your guts about the past can be a real tiring thing…

Draco Malfoy Point of View

I woke up holding Hermione against me. I smiled as I realized that she was awake, but still hadn't moved from my hold. That basically made my day, knowing that she had gotten the dirt on me but didn't shy away from me, the coward.

"Hermione, we should probably…um, go get the flooring and the supplies for the house that we need…" I hated to ruin this moment but we really did need to get all of the stuff done that we needed to in order for the Ministry to have somewhere safe to Apparate and Disapparate or send letters to. This 'office' would be the room, the only room where Muggle repelling charms would be placed.

"We also need to figure out a way to send a message to the Ministry…tell them about our little…Veela…problem…" She grumbled, moving away from my arms. It took all that I had not to pull her back to me. I mentally slapped myself. Why in the name of all that was Holy, was I thinking such things? I mean, as part Veela, we Malfoy's naturally didn't fall in love easily, and never with the wrong person. I just _couldn't_ be falling for Hermione Jean Granger. It was impossible…

I sat up, my thoughts rolling with reasons against my hearts supposed longing for my pretend wife. As I stood, reaching out my hand to help up Hermione, I needed to pause.

"We should do something after we get everything done today. Go see a movie or something like that…actually try and have some fun. We might as well I mean…"

"Wait," she paused looking a tad awkward. "Are you talking about a date?" I smirked to myself, my mind and heart thinking yes, my lips wanting to shout out no.

"Well, I don't see how that would be possible, as I am already your husband Mrs. Kemp, and I your extremely lucky husband…" I watched Hermione tried to hold back a giggle and completely fail. I liked that extremely more that I should.

"Well then dearest Henry, I am afraid as we are already as one, I must accept. A movie it is. But now, we really must get going. We need to get shopping done, _and_ look for possible jobs…" I ignored the tingling inside of me when she agreed to our 'not-date,' but pushed it to the back of my mind.

Hermione Granger Point of View

We drove out and into the town an hour later. I took the wheel, as Draco wasn't as accommodated to driving as I was. After all, I had grown up in the Muggle world, and had known how to drive for years, whereas he had only taken a class and only driven a few times before, or at least, that was what he had told me. And since I had chosen to drive, more by fear for my own safety than anything else, I appointed my dearest 'husband' as navigator, though I wasn't entirely sure that was an occupation that he would handle exceptionally well. Honestly, I couldn't be bothered, I was just in too good of a mood, and justly, I really had no idea why.

Draco directed me down streets until we arrived in what seemed to be the City Square. I pulled into a parking space and sat there for a second, taking in the people, the surroundings, the general area that I would call home for who knew how long?

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Draco look at me, hesitating at getting out of the car, wondering at what I was doing just sitting there.

"It's strange, isn't it? To think that our lives are in the hands of somebody other than our own," I spoke out loud, without truly meaning to. "We just, come as we are told, like dogs to their masters, and then stay where they tell us to until they just call us back again. We have no say, in nothing at all." I could tell that Draco was shocked by my abrupt seeming epiphany, and I didn't know what had brought it all on. I had been in such a good mood before, but now watching the people that had no idea that their lives were in so much danger from the reform Death Eaters, and knowing that they could live their lives without worry of death or a compromise at every corner…it just, shocked me a little…and sort of sobered my happiness up.

"I know how you feel. We're just pawns in somebody else's game, forever doing the players bidding. It catches me off guard, the realization that I'm not really in control of my own life anymore. But then I stop, and I think…isn't this what I signed up for? You throw yourself into the work, into living a different life, so you stop thinking about your own screwed up one. And it's alright for a while, living in that dream state, but soon, it all comes back to the fact that you aren't living your own life." Draco turned to look at me. "I think I'm done Hermione," he whispered. "I need to get back out there and stop running from my past, running from my fears. I need to turn around and face them, and then everything will fall into place with time."

We both stayed quiet for a while, softly staring out the windows. We at least shared an opinion on something, and I think we were both marveling at that. Silently, as though through silent communication, though there was none, Draco and I both opened the car doors at the same time, then looked at each other in surprised. He laughed.

"Man, now we're both jumpy." I laughed as well. "Let's just get this shopping done, shall we?" We made our way over to the store selling carpeting and shelves. Browsing the shelves, looking at different styles, we decided on simple colors, and simple shelving. After all, this wouldn't be our permanent home.

We were done before the hour was up, not really putting much interest as we should have into the décor of our house. As we headed out the store, I picked up the newspaper that I had purchased and stared at the section labeled: _Available Jobs._ I hoped that something interesting and not boring would be there, preferably something that paid more than what the little town looked to be worth. Draco took the papers from my hand as I started to drive.

"Safety first," he muttered while looking. I simply rolled my eyes and backed into the row of cars headed in the same direction as us. "Here's one. They require limited to no experience, availability at odd hours, high paying…" I glanced over at the title of the job and swerved as I started laughing while reading it.

"A gentleman's club? Dear, I think not!" I watched giggling as Draco turned a strawberry pink color.

"Er, sorry…I didn't even look at the title…"

"Haha, it's all good, just read the next one." He shuffled around with the newspaper for a bit before clearing his throat.

"There's actually not a very wide selection…there's only three more: a hairdresser's assistant," I snorted and flipped my hair for emphasis. It may look tame now, but… "there's an opening for a children's clothing shop….and the last one is for a magazine…it looks like a gossip magazine to me but…" I snatched the article from his hands.

"It's The Buzzing Bee, the new magazine that just came out that has sections on everything from love and family, to opinions and advice columns. We should go here. I obviously wouldn't be of any help in a hair salon, and I'm not working as a stripper, and I don't think that being around kids would be the best idea, especially if we don't want to end up having to fake a pregnancy and adopt some child from somewhere…" Draco nodded.

"I agree. I think that it's our best shot, even though I have no idea what the Hell I will do for a paper…" I smacked his leg. "Oww, what was that for?!" He shouted at me.

"No cursing please." I smiled sweetly at him. "I don't like it much. Been around Ronald to much I guess." I turned my face back to the news article while Draco scowled at me. "This is perfect! I mean, it's only a few blocks from our house, so we can walk there and save money on gas. There are multiple positions open." I turned back towards my 'husband' who was still scowling and muttering under his breath…what a child. "Let's go in and apply for the positions, shall we?"

"Sure, Mione, whatever you say…" I didn't even fully process that he had nicknamed me, and just drove away happily to our, hopefully, new job.


	9. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight: First Step: Marriage, Second Step: Hospital?

Draco Malfoy Point of View

We pulled up into the parking lot of a building framed in red and gray. It seemed a simple cottage, just like the one Hermione and I were living in now, but bigger and with a more business like appearance. We stepped in the front doors, and were immediately hit with a chill that was colder than the frigid air outside. Normally, I would have used a charm or spell to warm me, but as I was not allowed magic…

I shivered and automatically looked towards Hermione. It had been known throughout my experiences that women got cold rather easily and I was beginning to slip off my jacket when I noticed that she seemed perfectly fine, her soft and muscled skin actually a tiny bit flushed. I quickly assumed that she must be a tad overly excited and brushed it from my mind. I had more important issues to deal with, like income, rather than the excitement of my 'spouse.'

As we stepped forward toward what looked to be the main desk, we were greeted by a short male in a tweed suit with a bowler hat with colors of lime green and an odd purple. He had a bit of a pug face and no hair to even speak of with big ears, but his smile was certainly there, showing every single one of his, obviously well cared for, pearly whites.

"Hello there, young people, I am Doc Merlin." We shook hands, me thinking of the strange name and his strangely deep voice. "So, what can I do you for?"

"Well," Hermione looked towards me shyly before turning back towards the man. "We would love to apply for a job…" She trailed off… Doc Merlin looked even more enthusiastic than Hermione and her flushed skin.

"Well that's wonderful! I will get you some papers immediately! But…" he looked modestly at the two of us. "I'm afraid, as is so cliché, you have me at a disadvantage. You know me…"

"But you don't know us." I finished. "My name is Henry Kemp, and this is my lovely wife Margaret. We just moved in a few streets over."

"Lovely, lovely! I simply adore newleyweds…they are just so…"

"Lovely?" Hermione supplied for him sarcastically. As she said it under her breath, I do not think her heard. That would explain the weird look he gave to me when I chuckled. I saw Mr. Merlin looking strangely at our almost formal positions. We stood side by side, arms folded, not touching one another. I knew that he was a slight bit confused.

I edged closer to Hermione and, hoping she wouldn't take offense or freak out, put my arm out and wound it around her waist, pulling her close to me. Luckily, she took it well, and even wound her fingers in mine. I could feel her warmth, actually more warm than was probably normal, emanating onto me. It warmed my chilled skin. I couldn't help but pull her even a little closer.

As I was a tad bit occupied with Hermione, I didn't notice a leaflet of papers that Doc Merlin was handing towards me. I took them, and nodding our goodbyes, we left the quaint business office.

As we got in the car, me taking a turn at the wheel, much to Hermione's unsubtle terror, she began to look at the information on the packet. Before she had even really read it, she put it down and laid her head back on the seat.

"Are you okay, Mione? You look at little…not." She blinked at me.

"I'm fine, just a bit tired…" I didn't believe her but needed to trust that she would tell me the truth. After all, we trusted each other with the safety of the other one's lives, so I figured that if she trusted me that much…

"All right, if you say so," I said hesitantly. We arrived back at our home, me expecting a sarcastic remark from Hermione about how we made it in one piece, but not getting it. As she never passed up an opportunity to use her sarcasm, I couldn't help but worry even more. Back at the office, she had come in to get some papers with a fever, cough, and chills, and wasted no time in telling me that I had spilled Butterbeer on myself and now had an almost unnoticeable spot on my Muggle suit. If she couldn't even muster a comment about my 'hazardous' driving skills, then something must be wrong.

A few hours later, after a bit of freshening up, Hermione and I decided that we were as prepared as we ever would be for our date together.

I watched as Hermione walked slowly down the stairs. She wore silver shoes, and had obviously looked into the department of 'little black dress.' She had silver hoops in her ears, and her hair had been tied up high into a ponytail. She was gorgeous, that much was obvious. I was confused when something inside of me wished that I could see the old Hermione, here with me now, instead of this falsely attractive Margaret Kemp. I was shocked that I missed Hermione. All thoughts proceeded to empty my mind and fill with a greater worry when I noticed how flushed Hermione's skin was again, but how deathly pale the rest of her looked.

She didn't say much to me, but looked rather focused on making her feet work, and her body stay upright.

"I don't think we should go Hermione. I really think that you need to see a Healer or a medicine man or whatever it is these Muggle's have. You're making me rather worried." She just leaned her head back on the seat.

"Alright then," I was absolutely shocked that she would agree with anything I had to say about her physical health, and appearance for that matter. After all, I had called her buck-tooth and worse things in the past. "They're called doctors. I'll just look one up on the map…"

"Oh no you don't, Mione, you're sick and won't lift a finger until your better." She frowned at me.

"Am I scaring you that much? I just feel a bit…not good." I laughed rather darkly.

"Not good? You look dreadful, like the time when Weasley tried to hex me and it backfired and he was vomiting slugs all over the place…"

"I'm still partially mad at you for that. He was trying to protect whatever honor I had, and you tormented him for it." I felt a sort of falling in my chest.

"The two of you, you like each other, yes?" She looked at me carefully, and not like she was trying to keep from hurting herself, like she was worried about what I might do after her answer. The thing in my chest sank even lower.

"Why do you care so much, Malfoy? It's not like you ever showed any courtesy towards my friends. Even in seventh year, when Ron saved your life, and Harry-"

"…with your help," I stated, feeling indignant that she gave all of the credit to them.

"With my help," she amended. "You just, acted like it was nothing, like they…" She stopped at my look. "…we…didn't just save your life. It was like you hated us for something that we honestly had no control over…I couldn't just let you die."

"And if I wanted to?" She looked shocked at that very idea, and again, I was startled that I had shared a deep part of my past with her. Suicide before had seemed the most helpful of solutions, but it would've brought shame down upon my father, and his anger would be turned to my mother. I couldn't let that happen. "Sorry, it just…slipped off my tongue. Forget I said that-" I jumped slightly at the feel of her clammy fingers on the arm of my suit.

"I know what that feels like, you know," she said. Hermione looked out the window, removing her arm as she did so, making me miss her warmth. "But growing up, I realized that suicide wouldn't help anything, and I wouldn't die a heroine like all of the characters in the books that I was forced to read…" It was like she had read my thoughts. I didn't miss the tears that trailed down Hermione's face. I decided to change the subject.

"Will you answer my question? About Weasley and yourself?" Hermione turned to face me.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley is as a child. When said 'become like a little child,' I feel he took that to the next level. He is immature, and jealous, and petty. He lives trying to be something he's not, while trying to discover himself in the process. He is a kind soul, one of the best kind, and yes, there is something between us, Draco." She looked at me hard, but I fiercely avoided her gaze. "It's called friendship. And he may have had feelings for me, at one time, but not anymore, as I do not for him. He loves Lavender and I…I just don't know anymore." Her soft monologue was interrupted by hacking coughs and she lay against the seat, closing her eyes. And the thing in my chest rose back up again, still worried about Hermione.

I searched the map for what she called a Hospital, and found one at the edge of town.

From my crazy driving, we arrived about five minutes later. Without giving Hermione a chance to even reach for the door, I was over to her side and opening the door for her. I picked her up bridal style, telling myself that we were supposed to act married, and not for the excuse of wanting to touch her. I also told myself that she was too weak to even stand on her feet. I was so scared and confused about how she ended up so sick after only a little while. I don't think she noticed when she held onto my neck, but I did.

I carried into her through the doors labeled 'emergency room.' I felt that this was a certain emergency. After all, my 'wife' was sick.

"Can I help you?" The man that sat behind the desk looked rather bored at the faint Hermione that I held.

"My wife, she's really sick. It came on so suddenly…"

"Name?"

"Margaret Kemp is her name, mine is Henry. We just moved here. Please, pay attention to your job and actually do something!" I practically yelled at the ignorant Healer or whatever he was. Hermione had started to moan, and she wasn't opening her beautiful eyes anymore. The man looked disgruntled, but pressed a button. A second later a stretcher and several people dressed in white coats walked out. At their encouraging, I set Hermione softly on the bed on wheels and wondered at the inventiveness of Muggles to think of a think like their 'stretcher.'

I sighed as I watched the people wheel my Hermione away, me left behind to imagine the very worst. With all the sighs in the world, I settled myself in an uncomfortable chair next to a frail looking woman with a running nose and red eyes, probably from crying, and rested my head in my hands, closing my altered eyes.


	10. Chapter Nine: Diagnosis

Chapter Nine: Diagnosis

Hermione Granger Point of View

I didn't know where I was when I woke up. Soft yellow light was streaming through light blue curtains, and I was lying in an unfamiliar dressing gown, covered under a scratchy sort of blanket. I tried to move but I ached all over, like I had been coughing for a week straight without any breathe. I groaned and rolled over, but medical thingies on my arms made that impossible. I looked towards the other side of the room, the one that I had been trying to face. It was a plain wall, with pictures of plants and such. Chairs for visitors were lined up and on the last one, my husband dearest; his head at an awkward angle, his toned body slouched in the surely uncomfortable seat. I knew that position was purely by choice because I could see his eyes fluttering and slightly opening. Like he was awake, but didn't want to look out and see the world, like he'd been hearing things for way too long and wouldn't check to see if he was actually hearing things now. I cleared my throat by he still didn't move.

"D-Henry," I coughed at my attempt of speaking loud. I watched as Draco jumped up automatically, completely at my side before I could even give him a forced half smile.

"Hey, shh, don't talk, love, I'm here. Don't waste all of your energy, you need to recover." I tried to nod but Draco was gently holding my face before I could.

"I…I don't need to be coddled," I muttered out. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Sure you don't, Mio-Margaret, you've just been coughing your lungs out, in your sleep, diagnosed with-" I looked at him with as much sharpness as I could muster.

"What's wrong with me? I don't even know what happened. I felt fine and then I just….didn't." Draco shushed me again, and sat on the side of the bed.

"Sweetheart, I can't really say. The doctor people, they say that they'll be done with the diagnostics soon but…" I nodded, squeezing my eyes close. There was something…something from my past that I'd hoped I could leave behind. I knew what the diagnostic test was going to be. I didn't need to have the Doctors tell me what was wrong. If my theory was right, and I dearly hoped that it wasn't, then I already really knew how to handle myself in this situation, and I would only really live for a little while longer anyway.

_Mr. and Mrs. Granger, I'm sorry to inform you, but you're child has been diagnosed with Leukemia. It's a very advanced case already, and, I don't think that she is going to make it." The Doctors had informed my parents, my mother sobbing into my father's rumpled jacket. "There's nothing that we can really do, it's all come on so fast…" Was there anyone in your past family that had any sort of cancer, like this or any other that you know about? We need all the information that we can get." I looked through my mind's eye as my parent's shook their heads in a positive 'no.' there was nobody else that they would know about. After all, I had been adopted from birth._

It was one of the many secrets that I had kept from everybody, everybody except for the man who had saved me: Albus Dumbledore. I had never really even let myself think about that. In reality, I had been left like Harry, on my parent's doorstep. I had never told, because something deep down inside of me, told me that everybody would just pity the little Muggle-Born child and make it easier on her to survive in the Wizarding world. And that was the last thing that I needed. If everybody went soft on me, how would I ever be strong and succeed? That was my desire for taking the hard classes back in my years at Hogwarts. I didn't want to let my birth-parents, wherever and whoever they were, down, and I had to prove to myself that not being wanted was not because of a lack of brains. It definitely wasn't. I believed that now.

I had been raised up believing that my parents were truly _my_ parents, that they had conceived me, and given birth to me. I had lived with a couple for nine years believing that they couldn't judge me because I was family, and that they actually had to love me, no matter what. And then I turned nine years old, the coughing began, and I figured out that my state of mind and my family was all just a lie.

My parents had taken me to the nearest Hospital, after almost two days of straight coughing. They had given up their theories of 'just a cold' and had started a process of constant worrying. I'd found out that I had Leukemia. I was given a year and a half to finish living my life.

My parents and I were devastated. I didn't know who to turn to for comfort. I didn't quite trust my mother and father just them because of the lies, and I didn't really have any friends at the local school that I went to for a while. I had just started third grade. Honestly, all I really knew about what was happening to me was that I hurt really badly and that I wasn't going to live for much longer. That was about it besides the fact that whenever anybody looked at me I just saw sorrow in their eyes, and regret. That was it.

I suffered through a month, which became two, and then three. Before I knew it, I ended up almost at the deadline for my breath to stop. It was sixteen months later, almost on the exact day. I remember it perfectly.

_I sat waiting on the white hospital bed staring at the sun and smiling flowers outside. I frowned, my almost eleven year old self a bit petulant. They were frolicking around in the warm summer air while I was stuck in here with a stack of new musty old books my parents gave to me. A soft knocking on the door made me turn around slowly. I couldn't move fast anymore. It hurt too badly. The soft knock was another thing. Nobody did anything loud anymore. Nobody even laughed, and when I tried to make a joke, everybody stared like I had just grown another head. _

_ "Hermione dearest, there's a rather…well, there's a man here to see you darling." My mother spoke from the doorway. I was confused but the hesitation on my mother's face was getting too much for me and I needed to see somebody, who hopefully, wouldn't treat me as a toy ready to be broken. I nodded my head in affirmation towards my mother and turned back around to face the window. It was only a few moments until another knock, rather pronounced, a very nice change I thought, and I saw his reflection in the mirror. He was rather old, with a graying beard that he had tucked into the waistband of his trouser suit. His suit ensemble was a light blue color, just a tad darker than the sky outside of my window. I turned around on my bed and faced him. I noticed that he wore a cheery smile and had a telltale twinkle in his bright blue eyes. I immediately liked him for his cheerfulness. I hadn't really gotten any of that in a year._

_ "Hello, I'm Hermione Granger. I'm dying so don't mince words!" In the memory, I had been a bit impatient with those that smiled at me, because I always knew that their smiles would go away to replace sadness. _

_ "Ah, I know my child. My name is Professor Albus Dumbledore. I am Headmaster of a special school for children just like you." He smiled at me._

_ "There's a school for kids that are dying?" That didn't seem right to me, but rather downright sad and cruel. _

_ "No, Ms. Granger. It is a school for people with magic, like you have inside of you. You are a witch child. A very good one I would bet as well." I was sure that the man was joking with me. _

_ "If the Hospital sent you to try and fool me with fables and to make me smile, it won't work. I don't like people that lie to me…"_

_ "No child, I'm not with this fine establishment. And I am not lying to you."_

_ "I don't see how I can believe you, Sir. I don't know you or your background and your nature of bamboozling children." The so called Professor chuckled and I frowned at him moodily. "If you are so intent on saying that I am a witch with actual magical powers, then prove it. There's no better way to get the truth that to see it in person, after all."_

_ "True my child. But I have already showed you. You are healed. You are not going to die anymore. That is my proof to you." I looked up at him in shock, wonder and caution in my eyes._

_ "Sir, it's not nice to give people false hope. I know because once, the Doctor told my mother that I might actually have a chance with this therapy but it didn't work. She hurt something awful after. I know because she never left my room, and never left my side for a whole three days and didn't stop crying her eyes out the whole time."_

_ "Child," Professor Dumbledore looked at me fondly, go stand up and walk around. Go outside and run through the grass and that will prove it to you. You can frolic with all the flowers and sunshine that you want. And when you do not stop to cough then you will know. I will come back in a month to talk about the school some more with you and your parents. Good luck, my child. I hope you consider your place in my school." After that the Professor walked out, leaving me awestruck. I did as he had told me, running past my parents and all of the Doctors and Nurses and played in the grasses for ages. When they finally caught me and brought me back in for tests, I learned that it was true. I was healed. There was almost no chance that the Leukemia would come back. _

But it had. And now here I was, sitting in another unfamiliar Hospital bed, with a good looking man who I used to hate pretending to be my husband by my side. I would die without getting to say goodbye to my friends, my family. I would never even get to truly figure out what this bond was between me and Draco.

With all of the energy I could muster, I just broke down and cried, thinking of all the things that I would never be able to do. Of course the magic that Dumbledore had cast upon me wouldn't last, now that he was passed on. I don't think he realized that he had just lengthened my life, and not saved it. I wasn't sure why the Leukemia had reappeared now; I just knew that it had. I just knew that I had so much to truly live for, and it would all be going away in what would seem like the blink of an eye.

Draco was startled at my reaction, and immediately laid down beside me in the tiny hospital bed and let me curl up against his warm chest and bawl my eyes out. He didn't know what was happening but he was still there. He was becoming the one constant in my life. I was surprised that with everything going on with my body right now, that thought had crossed my mind. And thinking back, I realized that that was true.

Whenever I was for lack of some random office supply, Draco was always in full supply and ready to lend. Whenever I needed clarification on information, he would tell me, almost even before I would ask. Whenever I just needed a break, he had always been there to keep others away and take my work for me. We had always exchanged the needed words that came after things like that, like 'Thank You' or 'Your Welcome' but somehow through all of that, he truly had become the one thing in my life that I could actually count on.

I mean, Ginny and Harry, they were great. But they were in love…and producing lots of happy bouncing babies. They tried to be there for me, but they had their own lives to deal with. And Ronald…you couldn't really count on Ronald for anything for than an un-lasting smile and sheer dumb loyalty. And all of that was great, but it just wasn't what I needed. It wasn't…_there._

It felt like forever before my sobs finally ceased into an awful silence, filled with more emotion that I think either one of us cared to deal with or even recognize. I couldn't stand leaving him in the dark, knowing how much I hated people doing that to me, but I couldn't break our silence and tell him that his 'wife' would soon be dead and he'd have to accomplish the mission pretty much by himself. The Ministry wouldn't take us out of our assignments, even if one of us was dying. They only cared about catching the bad guys…if only they could catch Leukemia. I decided that he had to know, no matter how much it hurt me. I was scared for the cautious and pitying looks to start up again, but knew that my 'husband' needed the truth. He deserved it as well.

"Draco…I-" I looked up at him, at his worried yet strong face, preparing himself for something undoubtedly not as bad as what was actually happening. "Draco, I have Leukemia."

His face was unexpected. Instead of horror, or fear even, all he showed was confusion. Apparently 'Muggle' diseases were rather unheard of in the Wizarding world.

"It's a Muggle disease Draco. It's a cancer of the bone marrow that prevents the normal manufacturing of red and white blood cells and platelets, resulting in anemia, increased susceptibility to infection, and impaired blood clotting. Draco…it's pretty much fatal…I had it when I was a kid and…Draco, I'm going to die."

Again, instead of the expected pity or sadness, I was surprised. Draco's face, always so calm and concrete, never truly betraying any emotion, looked broken, full of pain and anguish, and no, never in all of my life, did I expect to see actual tears rolling down his face.


	11. Chapter Ten: Bonds

Chapter Ten: Bonds

Draco Malfoy Point of View

Whatever I had been expecting, it definitely wasn't death. I sat there, unbeknownst to the tears falling down my face. A Malfoy never cried, so when I finally noticed the wet trails down my face, I was in complete shock. Who was this Muggle born girl that my body had allowed itself to cry for? Even my distant cousin, Teddy Lupin, hardly ever cried and he was three. I had only seen him a couple of times, mostly when it was 'Family Day' at the Ministry. It seemed a rather Muggle thing to do, but some of the workers there had really bought into it. Potter had brought his first son James with him, and his Godson, my cousin Teddy, as well as his wife Ginny, the Weasel's kid sister.

I had met Teddy, as Potter had demanded it quite forcefully in his words, h my nose 'that Teddy needed to meet another family member that had gone from the very depths of evil and seen the light.' I hadn't liked that very much but I had spent a few minutes with the kid, answering little questions, telling him about my relation to him, random crap like that. I think Potter could tell that I was basically breathing through my nose to get through the minutes, because after what seemed forever, he finally excused both of them and went back to Potter's office to amuse his son who was being watched by Ginny, I guessed.

I ended up hearing everything about Teddy after that, but not by choice. Potter made sure to just mention something that he did when he knew that I could hear him. I made an even bigger effort than normal to avoid the guy but if there was one thing 'The Chosen One' knew how to do was to be infuriatingly persistent. That's how I knew that Teddy hardly ever even threw a tantrum. It was quite ridiculous…

So, if a tiny kid didn't whine over the most awful things, then how come my assignment partner was making me wallow up like a baby? It didn't make sense. I made to wipe away the evidence of my fall, but was stopped.

Hermione caught my hand just as it reached my face. She brought it back down to the place it had just vacated, a place I realized, was lightly on her waist. I had laid it there when she started to sob in an effort to pull her close to me to lend comfort, another un-Malfoy-ish thing to do. This woman was messing with my mind…

"Don't…" she whispered out. Our eyes met, and through the falsity of the colors, I felt that underneath, we were both the same: warm and woodsy brown, to cold, gray steel. She lifted her soft hand, a bit calloused probably from writing with her quills so much, and stroked the droplets off of my face, creating tension and sparks that I didn't know were in me. Her hand touching me…it just felt right somehow. I inwardly shook myself. I needed to _stop._ This was ridiculous behavior. There was nobody for a Malfoy except for his perfect match…a Slytherin, I'd always thought.

She started to cough, her entire body, suddenly seeming so weak, and so helpless, racked with pain. I could tell as her face was white that she wouldn't be able to hold on for that long. She would try in her everlasting Gryffindor bravery, but in the end, this sickness…this disease, it would last longer than she could, and she would be gone.

Hermione Granger rested her head onto the pillow, closing her tired eyes, and falling into a pit of restless sleep. Her body was exhausted from all of the coughing, but the pain inside of Hermione wouldn't let her sleep.

I took hold of her hands, gently moving myself closer to her…Merlin she was just _so cold, _I had to do something. I hoped that my heart hadn't emanated out and changed my body temperature to something that wouldn't help her stay warm. I wanted—needed—to help her as much as I could. I was asleep in a moment, in almost as much discomfort as my 'wife' who lay dying next to me.

Hermione Granger Point of View

I ended up being forced awake by a doctor, who decided that my sleep wasn't imperative enough to me now that he couldn't wake me up to tell me what I already knew. I was a bit disgruntled, but warm, which was a nice change from how I'd started feeling before: complete and absolute cold.

As the doctor stammered out my life sentence to me, I merely zoned out. I felt sorry for the poor man. It was left to him to tell a couple, newlyweds as far as he knew that their time together was limited. I wondered what he did to piss somebody off so much…maybe he lost a bet, or took somebodies girlfriend out to dinner. It didn't matter really.

I turned slightly to see what was keeping me so warm, and saw the solid body next to me, in the tiny bed. I honestly wondered at why I hadn't noticed Draco Malfoy lying beside me before. Maybe I had been a tad bit distracted by the news of my impending doom or whatever to actually notice. At least that's what I told myself. In reality, I had kind of hoped he'd be there, knowing that he would be by my side all along. If I gave myself the right to have logic set in, then I would have never allowed myself to be in this position of my supposed 'husband' holding me to him.

As the doctor rambled on telling about things I already knew, I turned around carefully to face my new 'husband.' The doctor, apparently seeing that I wasn't listening, or that I might've gotten the point—or maybe he was just done explaining—left the room, closing the door softly behind him. Softly...that part irritated me. I wasn't dead yet! Gosh…I tried to tell myself that he didn't want to wake the still sleeping Draco…well...Henry. It partially worked.

I lifted my hand carefully, placing it against his angel-made cheek bones. Thinking back to how I described his cheeks, I scoffed at myself, wondering where that had come from. Honestly, whatever drugs they had decided to give me were messing with my brain.

I turned off my thought process, closing my eyes, and just let myself _feel: _soft, warm, reliable…I tried to put myself into the part of how Draco's future wife, the real future one, would see him. He would represent safety, a harbor, love, warmth, strength…he would be her home, and she, his. That hurt me more than was honestly plausible. Great, now I had a wounded heart as well as a body that was eating itself alive. I kept daydreaming about his future love. Who she would be, their life together, their children…

I definitely did not expect the hit of jealousy I received at those thoughts.

"He-Margaret, dear, are you awake?" He searched for my hand as my eyes were still closed, and I squeezed it in an affirmative to his question.

"Dra-Henry— I'm scared. What's going to happen to me?" The words left my mouth before they even passed my thoughts. I never told anybody when I was scared, especially not about this—this Leukemia Cancer thing. I couldn't put my finger on it exactly but, there was just something about Draco that was making me spill my darkest secrets and feel even safer that he knew them. I groaned inwardly. I sounded like Ginny, talking about Harry. They were in love, married, and constantly producing and trying for children and pleasure…as I got to hear about being the steady best friend to both of them. If I was thinking these things about Draco Malfoy, then what did that make my emotions?

"I don't know, Margaret, I don't know…" Draco spoke softly. His thumb stroked away some stray tears, leaving a trail of warmth against my skin. "It'll end up alright though, I promise." I couldn't tell if he was lying through his teeth, or if he actually believed that. Probably lying through his teeth…if Dumbledore, the greatest wizard to have ever lived, couldn't stop this Muggle sickness, then nobody could.

I didn't want to think anymore, but my mind kept it impossible to not do just that. Picking through logic, I laid down my theory to Draco about Dumbledore saving me, and that now that he was dead, the magic he had laid upon me to save my life, must be dead to.

"But why is it happening now? It doesn't make sense. Dumbledore passed almost like, three years ago, so, why is it just coming back now?"

"I have no idea. I just know that it picked the absolute most awful time for it to happen. We're…I'm…helpless. These 'reform' Death Eaters are going to attack while we can't get information to the Ministry. I mean, we told the Ministry about Olivia and Parker, and Olivia's definite Veela properties, but we had nothing else to go on, other than the fact that Ms. Wilde wanted us at her Ball incredibly much for some reason. After all, we were strangers…why would she care so much about us in specific being there? I noticed Draco pouting a bit. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not just going to leave the two of us unprotected, Mione!" He shouted, startling me out of my brain.

"Henry, dearest, what's ever the matter?" Much to my relief, Draco looked appropriately abashed at using our name in a room that was probably being watched by hospital staff. I doubted that they would do anything rash like call Olivia about 'Henry' calling his 'wife' 'Hermione,' but he needed to be more careful if he didn't want to shatter our already cracking cover.

"Sorry," he muttered, "I forgot." I rolled my eyes.

"Obviously," putting emphasis on the b and the v. "I know that you won't let anything bad happen to us, or at least you will try your hardest not too, but come one, Henry. You can't do much in a place that doesn't know about magic. And how are you going to protect me inside of a building whose occupants are going to try and stab me with needles and such?" Draco visibly paled.

"Needles? They put needles into your skin? Ugh, that's awful…" I nodded feeling a tad exasperated.

"Look at my arm, dearest. Those things taped down inside of my skin are needles…" He sat up off of the bed and moved towards the window. "And by the look on your face, you're not rather fond of them, are you?" He shook his head, looking even more pale than normal.

"We have to get you out of here," he said, his voice calm and steady, much like always. I wasn't surprised that it was such. Malfoy's were naturals at covering up fears.

"Good luck with that Draco," I said whispering his name at the end, "They won't let me out of here now unless there is a perfectly good reason to, and since I'm currently dying, that's a pretty good reason for them not too."

"We'll see," he smirked at me. It was the first time I had seen that smirk in a while. I realized that I'd missed it.

"What are you going to do, hex them until they agree to let me out? I doubt that would do wonders for our assignment and for my health…"

'Well, a sex God can do wonders in the Wizarding world…I bet that's double in the Muggle one…" I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the pain in my body.

"Right, well, don't go so far as to be full of yourself…" He simple winked at me and left the room, pretty much for the first time since we got here. A fly by thought in my mind wondered how he'd gone to the restroom or eaten…

I waited for him to come back, amusing myself by watching the clouds outside of the window and pretending that I could see shapes in them. I had occupied myself in the same manner as a child, forbidden to leave my gurney bed.

When he finally came back into my room, he wore a big smile on his face, one that I don't think I'd ever seen before.

"I've busted you out." I gasped sitting up fast. For once, the pain wasn't bothering me. It went away a lot of the time I was either moving around a lot, which I couldn't do with how much energy I had, or when I held really still. In a way, it was a lot like cramps on my period…a never ending cramp, with an extremely long bleeding period, but, like always, periods have to end, and this 'period' came with its own expiration date. I was guessing around two or three months since that was how much I'd had left when Dumbledore 'cured me' before.

"What, how? Even before, when I was free from this as a child, my parents had a hard time letting the doctors get me out of the hospital. It took a week before they finally consented. Now I have a rapidly progressing case with a death date set for a few months and you spring me just like that? Did you Imperius them or something? I received my answer when his cheeks turned a faded pink, barely there.

"Look, it was imperative for both of our sanities to get you out of here, and we both need our sanity so…I figured this case applied to the standards of magical use that Kingsley gave us…" I laughed. It would figure that he would twist his way out of the rules. It was a very Ron and Harry thing to do…they were a bit more alike than anybody would have guessed. Not that I would tell them that…

"Great! So when do we go?" Draco looked relieved not to be in trouble.

"As soon as the doctor can make himself available enough to come and excuse us out, giving us the proper medication and such…I figured that I used magic to spring us out of here early instead of never, so I could give him a possible hour or so to finish his other charges."

"Why Henry, who knew that you could be so…thoughtful." He scowled a bit.

"Oh stuff it, Margaret…"


End file.
